Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-01-21

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shadow herself.
She stopped for minute at the corner
of the yard, and stared fearfully over at
the periled roses. The moon was coming
up, and she could see them distinctly.
She fell to remembering. To this inno-
cent, Supplemented creature, clinging so
closely to old holy loves and Royalties
that she meditated what to her was
desperate deed in defence Of them, that
fair dead Lucina became visible among
her cinnamon roses
Elsie for minute, as she stood there,
was all memory: the past seemed to come
back in pity for her agony Of regret and
overshine the present.
The light of an old morning lay on
those roses, and young Lucina stood
among them, lovely and triumphant.
She had just set them in the earth with
her own hands.
When Elsie moved again she was ready
for anything.
Oh those cinnamon roses! the only
traces which that beautiful, beloved
maiden had left of her presence in the
world! Oh those cinnamon roses! the
3
been able to bequeath to it!
When Elsie came out on the road again
she had something covered by her apron,
lest the moon should make it glitter.
She ran home faster than she had come,
with no watchful pauses now. But she
had to make another cautious journey to
the Wing barn before she returned to
her room. Finally she gained it success
fully: no one had heard her.
The next morning some one knocked
while the family were at the breakfast
table. Silas answered it.
"The queerest thing" he said, when he
returned. "Havers has lost his sickle,
the one he brought over last night, an
he wants to borrow mine, an can't find
that hi h or low. l would ha' sworn it
was hangin' on the hook in the barn.
He wants to get them cinnamon roses
cut"
well, l should think it was queer!"
said his wife. II know / saw it out there
yesterday. Are you sure its gomez"
Course l am. Don't you s'pose I've
got eyes?'
Elsie said nothing. She bent her head
over her plate and tried to eat. They
did not notice how white she was. She
kept sharp watch all day; she started
every time any one spoke; she kept close
to the others; she dreaded to hear what
might be said, but she dreaded more not
to hear.
HAS Mr.. Havers found his sickle YETI"
Mrs. Wing asked, when her husband
came home at night. He had been over
to the village. Il see you ridin home
with him."
mo, he amt. He's gone and bought
a new one. Says he's bound to hev them
roses cut down tomorrow. Amt seen
anything of ourn yet, hev YEP"
mo; I've been out myself an looked.
well, it beats verything-two sickles
, right in the neighborhood! ruther
think some one must ha' took EN-"
Land! Silas, nobody's took 'em.
know all about you. I've known you tc
, .ev things stole before, an it always
, turned out you was the thief. When
you lose thing, it's always stole"
Elsie found it harder to start out to-
night; little of the first impetus wal
, wasted. Still, she did not hesitate
| When the house was quiet she crept out
; again, and went over to the old place.
She did not stop to reflect over the
roses tonight. She was braced up to dc
, her errand; but it must be done quickly
or she would give way. She went
f straight around the house to the wood
shed, where she had found the sickle the
) night before. AS she came close to the
( open arch which served as entrance
{ there was a swift rush, and William
2 Havers stood beside her holding her arm
, "Oh!" she said, then began feebly
gasping for breath.
> Elsie Mills! what in the world are you
9 dom here?"
She looked up in his face, but j.. no
: speak.
"Why, Elsie, what is it? Don't you be
: afraid, you poor little thing. What wa.
4 it you wanted? Tell me?"
= Let me gol"
"Of course 1 will, but l think YOU'D
better tell me what you wanted, an LEI
Q me get it. I'd be glad enough to.
, didn't mean to scare you. suspected
l he'd a sickle stole, an was kinder keepin
, a lookout. When jumped out l didn'
| see who twas"
, Il stole your sickle, an I'll steal il
again if you offer to tech Luciny's roses.
l "You-stole my sickle-I offer to tecl
Luciny's. roses! l guess don't know
what yoa mean, Elsie"
$ Il mean jest what l say. I'll steal you
t sickle every time you offer to cut dow
Luciny's roses"
r "You mean them roses out in the from
yard!"
D Course l do. Didn't she set then
out?"
< Lord! didn't know. 1 didn't know
D nothin' about it. / hadn't no notion O
4 your feelin' bad. If l had, ' guess
: Why didn't you tell met Why didn'
you come right over! I'd hev mown of
my own fingers before I'd offered to tecl
t them roses if I'd known"
i DO you s'pose 1 was goin' to com